Gun Safety Tips

A teenager injured his leg and hand Thursday evening after his uncle accidentally fired a muzzleloader near him while deer hunting.

A 17-year-old unnamed teen, his father and uncle were driving through Logan Canyon when they spotted several deer near the Boulder Mountain area. The teen and his uncle jumped out of the truck and put primers on their guns, but the deer ran down a ravine, according to a Cache County Sheriff’s Office news release.

The teen walked ahead of his uncle, who cocked his gun but didn’t shoot. But the uncle let the hammer down and the gun went off. The bullet missed the teen and struck the ground in front of him, sending bullet fragments and rocks flying, injuring his right foot, calf, thigh and hand, according to the release.

The teen’s family drove him to the hospital with minor injuries. Investigators determined it was an accident and don’t plan to file charges.

Story By Michael McFall
The Salt Lake Tribune
First Published Oct 05 2012 05:44 pm